BROCKTON – Police Chief Robert Hayden’s next deadline for re-appointment by Mayor Bill Carpenter is fast approaching even as he remains hospitalized following a serious bicycle accident.

Lt. John Crowley is temporarily serving in Hayden’s place while the former Lawrence police chief is recovering from a June 22 accident that led to emergency surgery for internal bleeding.

Hayden suffered multiple broken ribs, a concussion and several cuts and bruises when he collided with a vehicle in Hingham while riding his bicycle. The 71-year-old Hingham resident is also battling cancer.

Earlier this month, the chief was transferred to Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital from South Shore Hospital. He is an inpatient there, said Robert Buckley, Carpenter’s chief of staff.

Buckley said there is no timeline yet for Hayden’s return, but that the mayor plans to re-appoint him at the end of this month.

“We’ve made a commitment to Chief Hayden for one year and we have no plans to change that,” Buckley said.

Hayden was appointed to a 60-day stint as acting chief Jan. 31 over the objections of police union officials and several city councilors.

Among the concerns was that Brockton would begin paying both Hayden and former chief Capt. Emanuel Gomes chief-level salaries.

Gomez stepped down as chief and was transferred to head the Brockton Schools Police Department but continues to draw tens of thousands of dollars in pay above his captain’s salary because of the move.

In February, the Brockton Police Supervisors Union lost an appeal over a request to block Hayden’s appointment. The union’s case was based on state law mandating that police officers retire at age 65.

Ward 3 Councilor Dennis Eaniri said he did not agree at the time with Hayden’s appointment earlier this year because of the pay structure, and would prefer to return to a regular chief setup.

“The mayor’s going to stick to that commitment for a year, obviously,” Eaniri said. “As a councilor, I can’t stop it.”

But like other councilors reached for comment Friday, Eaniri said he would likely not fight Hayden’s re-appointment at the end of July.

“The place continues to run,” Eaniri said. “I’m comfortable knowing that the day-day-to operation is working.”

For the past few months, Ward 6 Councilor Michelle DuBois has been seeking updates at council meetings from Hayden and Carpenter on “any and all limitations placed on [the retired chief’s] ability to work more than 960-hours per year,” as stipulated by state pension law.

Page 2 of 2 - There is a similar resolve on the agenda for this Monday’s Finance Committee meeting. DuBois said she did not place it there, and that it was a postponement from a previous meeting. She said she does not expect Hayden to appear.

“All I wish is the very best for Chief Hayden,” DuBois said. “He should be focusing on himself and getting better.”

Eaniri said Hayden’s accident and subsequent recovery may fit well with the chief’s 960-hour limitation. Whatever hours he is not working now, Eaniri said, he may be able to work in the fall or whenever he returns.

DuBois said she is waiting to see what Carpenter will do with the upcoming re-appointment and said she may seek to have Hayden appear before the council in early August if he is back on the job.

Councilor-at-Large Jass Stewart said he would support Carpenter re-appointing Hayden at the end of the month.

“It’s working and it doesn’t make sense to change course in the middle of a process that’s working,” Stewart said.